Good morning … Senate prepares morning vote on spending; House moves to tax, transportation

As the Senate prepared to hold a Wednesday morning vote on a two-week spending bill, the House was preparing to move on tax and transportation bills.

Beginning at noon, the House will take up the rule to H.R. 4, which would eliminate language in last year's healthcare law requiring companies to report all goods and services transactions over $600. The rule to H.R. 4 allows for two and a half hours of debate, and a vote on the bill itself is expected Thursday.

House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) sent out a whip notice Wednesday morning that complained about the Republican decision not to allow amendments to this bill, but otherwise did not urge Democrats to vote against it. The White House on Tuesday indicated it would support the bill in order to eliminate the reporting requirement, which both parties want to eliminate.

The second item of the day is a surface transportation funding bill, H.R. 662, which would fund federal highway programs at 2010 levels. Again, Hoyer's notice lamented the inability to consider any amendments other than a GOP bill making technical corrections, but did not urge a vote against the bill.

The House on Wednesday will take up the rule to H.R. 662, which allows one hour of debate, and the bill itself.